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Topics: Donald Trump, US News, Vladimir Putin, World News, Russia
Callum Jones
Topics: Donald Trump, US News, Vladimir Putin, World News, Russia
A Kremlin spokesperson has confirmed Donald Trump has invited Vladimir Putin to join his new 'Board of Peace' council.
It's expected that the US will announce its official list of members in the coming days, with the Trump administration likely to disclose more information during the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland this week.
Those on the board will play a crucial role on the executive committee in charge of implementing the second phase of the Gaza peace plan.
In October last year, the last 20 hostages held by Hamas in Gaza were returned to Israel following two years in captivity as part of a huge 'peacemaking' deal between Israel and Hamas.
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The second part of Trump's plan includes the deployment of an international security force, disarmament of Hamas and reconstruction of the war-devastated territory.
A billion-dollar contribution will secure membership on the board, with the money going to rebuild Gaza, according to sources in the US.
One of the country's to have been invited to join the board is Russia, according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. He said Putin had received the invite and the Kremlin is 'studying the details'.
Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko, an ally of Putin, has also been invited and keen to be involved, according to the country’s Foreign Ministry.
France has said it does not plan to join the Board of Peace at this stage, while British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said on Monday that the UK is talking to allies about the plans.
100 days into the ceasefire in Gaza, The UN World Food Programme said it had 'significantly expanded' operations across the state by reaching more than a million people each month with hot meals, bread bundles and food parcels.
However, the situation is still tricky given 77 percent of the population facing crisis level food insecurity. Furthermore, 100,000 people are experiencing 'catastrophic' levels of hunger.
Gaza’s Health Ministry say that more than 460 people have been killed by Israeli fire since the ceasefire came into effect last October.
Israeli far-right finance minister Bezalel Smotrich dismissed the suggestion of a Board of Peace.
"It is time to explain to the president that his plan is bad for the state of Israel and to cancel it,” Smotrich said. "Gaza is ours, its future will affect our future more than anyone else’s. We will take responsibility for what happens there, impose military administration, and complete the mission.”